Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Banning Books
The banning of books is an increasingly fraught issue. I studied at four seminaries (or more, depending how one counts). To put it too simply, the first banned books. The second discussed books. The third promoted books. The fourth didn’t have books—one chose one’s own. I felt most comfortable with no. 2. OBSERVATION: No. 2 was a devout seminary, yet included such titles as The Misery of Christianity in our prescribed books.
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2 comments:
Not sure how institutions can "ban" books. Do they have regular inspections of inmates' bookshelves or what? Do they search every time you enter for contraband? Do they expel inmates who have a banned book in their possession?
The old Publications Control Book, on the other hand...
The seminary ensured that no books entered their library which were not approved. This included some fairly tame theologians, by some standards. I went looking for a book by Karl Barth, and they said he was not approved. In those days, a seminary library was one's book world, unlike now.
It went beyond that, though. Faculty formally questioned me once, as to how I had come to use certain language. For example, I had referred to a 'universe of discourse'. Students who seemed to become an ill fit with the seminary were suspended from giving input until further notice.
You have experience of such things on a grander scale. Sorry for the late reply. I hadn't checked my mail at that address.
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